Cannes police plan a mini-strike

No Cannes festival is ever complete without a strike! This time it's the police that are making their mark. But at least they have the courtesy to let us know in advance and to keep it short. To register their ongoing discontent with "sanctions, pressures and insufficient safety measures", the police plan to hold a 55-minute symbolic strike at the foot of the red carpet on the opening night.

It's worth bearing in mind that Cannes is a very small town that sees some 200,000 visitors during the festival. The police also have to deal with unbelievable levels of protocol for VIP guests that often include political leaders. The traffic in itself is a monumental task, as large parts of the town are regularly blocked to traffic, with the exception of the fleets of Festival limousines. And last but not least, the police have to deal with strikers and demonstrators every year. Oh, the irony!

Cannes Festival line-up announced

It's almost that time of the year again. The line-up for the upcoming Cannes Festival was announced yesterday. The selection in an interesting one, with a combination of confirmed and upcoming directing talent.

In competition
Pedro Almodovar - Volver (ES)
Nanni Moretti - The Caiman (IT)
Paolo Sorrentino - L'amico di famiglia (IT)
Ken Loach - The Wind That Shakes the Barley (GB)
Nicole Garcia - Charlie Said (FR)
Bruno Dumont - Flanders (FR)
Xavier Giannoli - I Did It My Way (FR)
Rachid Bouchareb - Days of Glory (DZ)
Lucas Belvaux - The Weakest Is Always Right (BE)
Sofia Coppola - Marie-Antoinette (US)
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu - Babel (MX)
Nuri Bilge Ceylan - Iklimler (TR)
Pedro Costa - Juventude em Marcha (PT)
Guillermo del Toro - Pan's Labyrinth (MX)
Aki Kaurismaki - Lights in the Dusk (FI)
Andrea Arnold - Red Road (GB)
Richard Kelly - Southland Tales (US)
Richard Linklater - Fast Food Nation (US)
Lou Ye - Summer Palace (CN)

Out of competition

Opening: Ron Howard - The Da Vinci Code (US)
Closing: Tony Gatlif - Transylvania (FR)

Special screenings:
Brett Ratner - X-Men 3: The Last Stand (US)
Tim Johnson, Karey Kirkpatrick - Over the Hedge (US)
Paul Greengrass - United 93 (UK)

Midnight screenings:
John Cameron Mitchell - Shortbus (US)
Johnnie To - Election 2 (HK)
Su Chao-pin - Guisi (TW)

Cannes Lions seminar programme now set

I'm a sucker for a good seminar. The best ones should offer stimulating debate and the feeling that you can go out and change the world in a month. OK, it's rarely quite like that in reality. But this year's Cannes Lions (June 18-24 2006) has a few seminars that could be interesting. Who could resist: "How Great Ideas Work Even Harder - The Secrets Of The Most Effective Creative Campaigns Of Europe"? One I would like to drop in for is, "Singin' in the Brain", in which "delegates will be encouraged to extend their vocal chords beyond their usual noisy contributions, in an exploration of how a carefully considered strategy for sound can help to enhance any brand's appeal". By the way, it's taking place in the Debussy room. For the full Cannes Lions seminar programme, visit their site.

Site of the week: Sleeping in airports

No, we've never had to sleep in Nice airport. But if you've got a very early flight, it's something that people occasionally consider, figuring that it could be more convenient than paying for half a night's sleep in a hotel and trying to pack suitcases in the morning on time for that 40 minute drive from Cannes.

Well, if you go by the comments on this site, Nice airport is far from being the worst option if you have no other choice. I quote: "I'd say Nice is a perfectly okay airport for sleeping in. The toilets were clean and had plug sockets so I could recharge my phone which was really helpful." Nice to see the girl has her priorities. The hardness of the seating seems to be the major drawback. However, for some horror stories, check the comments of people that slept at Nice railway station.

And if you think that sleeping in Nice airport might be a possibility, whether by choice or not, check out the site's Tips for Sleeping Airports.

Trains from Milan to Nice from as little as €15

Originally posted March 22, 2006. If you have the possibility of travelling from Italy, this is an option that might be worth checking. The Italian railway is currently running Smart Price deals on tickets for international destinations. Nice, which has direct and very regular connections to Cannes, is included in the list, with prices from Milan starting at €15 (Naples, Rome and Venice can be reached from as little as €35 in an overnight couchette). Conditions apply, needless to say. For details and booking in English or Italian, visit Trenitalia Smart Price.

Creator of Goldorak and Power Rangers to be honoured at MIPTV

Originally posted on March 13, 2006. The Japanese company TOEI, known for its successes with the Power Rangers and Goldorak, is to receive a lifetime achievement award at MIPTV in Cannes. TOEI has been active for 50 years already. Most recently, it has produced award-winning features such as the second world war drama "Yamato" that won a prize at Cannes 2005.

Although the MIPTV awards usually go to individuals, "TOEI executives were very insistent that their success has been a collective effort and that the award should go to the whole TOEI team, rather than any one individual,” commented Paul Johnson, Director of the Television Division, Reed MIDEM.

MIPTV will be held in Cannes between April 3 and 7. Details at MIPTV.com.

"Da Vinci Code" to open Cannes festival

Originally posted March 10, 2006. Despite the ongoing lawsuit, The Da Vinci Code, directed by Ron Howard , is still slated to open the Festival de Cannes on Wednesday May 17, 2006. The film will be presented Out of Competition.

The Da Vinci Code was adapted from Dan Brown's esoteric thriller with more than 30 million copies sold throughout the world. Top billing goes to Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou and Jean Reno with Paris's Louvre and Saint-Sulpice Church among the star sets of both the novel and film.

Ron Howard first came to Cannes for Willow (1988), followed by Far and Away (1992) and more recently Ed TV (1999).

The Da Vinci Code will be released in French theatres on the same day as its premiere at Cannes, and on Friday the 19th in its world release.

The Festival de Cannes will run from Wednesday May 17th to Sunday May 28, 2006.

Pan-African Film fest makes Cannes award

Originally posted Feb 21, 2006. DIKALO AWARDS - 2006 The winners of the third edition of the Panafrican Film Festival 11th to 19th February - Cannes, France

The Jury of the third edition of the Panafrican Film Festival, led by Mrs Jeanne ROMANA granted the following awards:

The DIKALO award for the best full-lenght movie was granted to "ROBLE DE OLOR" by director Rigoberto LOPEZ (Cuba) .

The DIKALO award for best short film was granted to "SAFI" by director Raso GANEMTORE (Burkina Faso) .

The DIKALO award for best documentary was granted to "CALYPSO@DIRTY JIM'S" by director Pascale OBOLO (France / Cameroon). A special award was granted by the jury to the documentary film "TANKAFATRA" directed by Hery A. RASALO (Madagascar).

The Pan-African Film festival is sometimes called the "other Cannes film festival". For details, visit their website

Cannes or Bust is moving archives

As you can see below, we are curretly recovering old postings from the previous server. It's a laborious process. But we're getting there! Stay with us until we're up to speed.

Where to stay at Midem 2006?

Originally posted on January 12, 2006. If you're still making plans, don't despair. Midem 2006 is going to be one of the busiest in years. That's the good news. The bad news is that all the hotels in the centre of town are full. So you're going to have to try either for an apartment (see ads elsewhere on the page) or look further afield. Out of town, my first choice would be for Juan-les-Pins. It's about 6-8 kilometers, but the train will whisk you to the Palais in a few minutes. There are deals from about €190 for three nights in some hotels. You could also hire a car or a mobylette. Try this link for last-minute hotels or check the booking button to the right.

Images take centre stage

Originally posted Jan 11, 2006. Initiated some years ago, the Music for Images section of Midem has proven very popular. This reflects the fact that sales of recorded music have continued to slump, where as the new uses have provided real breakthroughs in advertising, games and cinema. Largely speaking, there are two levels to this game. The first is strictly reserved for the Robbie Williams and Britney Spears of the world: major labels talk to major producers about major game, movie and product endorsements. This happens behind closed doors and is of no interest to Midem delegates generally. The other level is managing to get a recording placed with a major game or movie, even if only to fill up the musical quota to a certain degree. There are undeniable benefits to games that find the right music. And savvy publishers and managers should be ready and able to use the exposure to both connect directly with new listeners and leverage their profile in the business. The cash comes in handy too.

The third edition of the Music for Images conference and three listening sessions are organised in association with EuropaCorp – Recall, Activision and Zync Music.

Nizlopi, Raul Paz and Talvin Singh announced for Midem's 40th celebrations

Originally posted Dec 29, 2005. As 2006 is the 40th anniversary of Midem, there will inevitably be celebrations in addition to the regular concert programme. As well as the enigmatically-titled Mozart Cloud and a special concert in the Palais, Midem has booked a number of "pop" acts. These include Spain's new singer-songwriter Bebe, Cuba's salsa redefining Raul Paz, Talvin Singh and the UK's Nizlopi (photo left).


Bebe (photo right) and Nizlopi are the wild cards, being totally unknown
outside their own countries. Nizlopi caused excitement by almost-nearly having the Christmas n° 1 in the UK with a self-released single that first took off on the web: "The JCB Song". Will they win over the international business? They have reportedly good experience playing live, so hopefully there is more to them than the novelty aspect. Bebe is coming to town with a long-awaited debut album "Malo" that promises "attitude, lots of attitude".

Finland unveils pre-Midem mini-site

Originally posted Dec 7, 2005. This year's host for the opening party at Midem is Finland. If you're a little fuzzy on your musical geography, think Värttinä (yes, I checked the spelling), The Rasmus and Nightwish. According to the mini-site they have just unveiled, Finland will be represented by 50 companies in 2006 - the double of previous years. This includes local reps from EMI, Sony and Warner (who do not always advertise their presence in the Palais).

According to the latest figures, released on the October 21, the total market value of Finnish music exports is 21,7 million euros and it has grown an average of 26 % annually 1999-2004. Full report in English available at www.musex.fi

The choice of live music on the opening night looks very wide, with The Five Corners Quintet
playing competent "post-modern" jazz (which is actually what we used to call mainstream post-bop, or something), crossover rumba/ska/rap Don Johnson Big Band, accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen, punk/glam rock 69 Eyes and others. Wot, no Rasmus?

Inevitably, Nokia are in there doing their usual hi-tech thing. You'll also get a chance to catch a genuine curiosity: Laitila beer.

Visit Hear Finland from here.

Steve Harrison to head Cannes Lions Direct jury

Originally posted Dec. 5, 2005. Steve Harrison, MD and creative partner of Harrison Troughton Wunderman (HTW) is to head up the Lions Direct Jury in 2006. Harrison began his career at Ogilvy and Mather Direct (now OgilvyOne) in 1985 and has won more Lions direct trophies than any other creative director, with his agency HTW scooping the inaugural Lions Direct grand prix in 2002.

Harvey Goldsmith to address Live Music Network

Originally posted Dec. 2, 2005. For the second consecutive year, the Live Music Network at Midem will bring together professionals from the live music sector for a series of discussions. Two panels will focus on world-wide touring and the exposure of artists and repertoire within the major world markets. The day will kick-off with two keynotes: Harvey Goldsmith (photo), Managing Director of Harvey Goldsmith Productions Ltd (UK), and Kevin Wall, CEO of Network Live and Executive TV Producer for Live 8 (USA).

Goldsmith and Wall’s careers include the production of the Live 8 concerts on 2 July 2005. The global event succeeded in bringing massive public attention to the G8 summit and triggered a strong response from the international community to help alleviate poverty and famine in Africa. Participants at MIDEM’s Live Music Network will have the opportunity to not only share the challenges of organising such a huge event as Live 8, but also to appreciate how new technologies were used to amplify its political impact. Kevin Wall also founded the multi-platform, digital entertainment network, Network Live. The organisation is at the
forefront of new distribution channels for live music and a joint venture with the world’s largest Internet service provider AOL, major American satellite radio company XM Satellite Radio and leading events organisation AEG.

MidemNet offers digital smorgasbord

Originally posted Nov 24 2005. Like all the entertainment trade fairs, Midem gives a large slice of its attention to mobile and digital opportunities. It's true that since ringtones and i-Tunes became so popular, digital and mobile have piqued the curiosity of a new range of operators. Many of these new entrepreneurs have been a bit put off by the sheer complexity of the intellectual property and territorial rights issues in music. But music has never been so popular, and so those that are willing to take the time and understand the mechanics of the music biz have much to gain.

Keynote speakers at MidemNet this year are Eirc Nicoli, chairman of the EMI Group, Ken Lombard, President of Starbucks Entertainment (non-US readers should check their music programme), Patricia Langrand EVP Content Division France Telecom, Anssi Vanjoki EVP and General Manager of Mulitmedia Nokia, Takeshi Natsuno SVP of NTT DoComo (again, this company is worth checking) and Alex Zubillaga EVP Digital Strategy & Business Development Warner Music Group.

Is that heavyweight or what? There was a time when tradefair conferences were a platform for the sponsor to give a fluffy speech. The level of discussion at MidemNet is pretty high. Subjects include changing revenue models, the increasing plae of video, digital promotion, legal P2P, fixed/mobile convergence, new services vs. ringtones and more.

As a reminder, MidemNet is not included in the Midem entrance fee, so you'll have to cough up some extra cash. Dates: January 21 & 22.

Cannes Lions Int'l Advertising fair gets new jury president

Originally posted No. 17, 2005. Australian David Droga (photo) has become the youngest jury president to helm the Cannes Lion International Advertising fair (June 18-24 2006). After
senior creative positions in Australia and Singapore, he worked with
Saatchi & Saatchi London before becoming Worldwide Chief Creative Officer of the Publicis Network in 2003. He has since created his own company, Drogafive, billed as "a brand ideas and entertainment laboratory".

“David has become one of the most talented, respected and awarded creative stars today, receiving countless personal accolades along the way. Having made his mark in Asia, Europe and now in the USA, his international outlook makes him the ideal jury President for Cannes,”said Terry Savage, the Festival’s Executive Chairman.

Commenting on his appointment, David said, “I am extremely flattered
to be the Jury President. Cannes has always been very good to me and I
hope to reciprocate as much as possible."